Thesis. 1976. M.C.P.--Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning. / Microfiche copy available in Archives and Rotch. / Bibliography: leaves 165-170. / M.C.P.

No description available.

The encouragement of rural non-farm activities (RNA), as part of a general development programme, is an alternative strategy for progress in Less Developed Countries (LDCs). A shift of labour from low productive agricultural employment to non-agricultural employment in the rural areas of LDCs could enhance incomes in those countries. This thesis focuses on Sri Lanka as an example of a Less Developed Country and analyses the growth pattern of RNA from Sri Lanka's independence in 1948 to the present day. The thesis poses several questions. Why were employment changes slow during the last four decades? Why were there variations in the regional growth of RNA? What factors contributed to the patterns of spatial distribution and regional growth in RNA? This thesis proposes a conceptual scheme of RNA growth and tests several hypotheses to answer these questions. Data used in this thesis were derived from three levels of magnitude: macro (national), meso (regional), and micro (village). The macro and meso level information were obtained from secondary sources. The micro level (information came from a field survey conducted in Sri Lanka during 1986 and 1987. The data were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS:X) at the University of British Columbia. The thesis finds that the growth of RNA varies regionally and is concentrated in two contrasting occupational categories. The first category is characterized by low levels of productivity, skills and income. The second category is often government-related and employs persons with higher status and education. Regionally significant growth in both types was seen in fringe areas of the city of Colombo and in areas of state investment for agricultural development. RNA growth was largely due to the changes in the age structure of the population. Population grew rapidly in 1950s and 1960s which led to rapid labour force growth in 1970s. Slow structural change and poor performance of the economy retarded the expansion of employment opportunities leading to open unemployment, under-employment and landlessness. Household employment strategies varied in the rural areas. The increased labour force among the low income households encouraged part-time, seasonal and low paying RNA. The middle and upper income groups using educational facilities provided by the state in the rural areas qualified for government related occupations. By providing social and economic welfare benefits for the rural people, by expanding the state sector employment opportunities and by encouraging migration of labour to agricultural development areas, the post-independence Sri Lankan governments influenced the employment situation and the growth of RNA. Direct government intervention for the creation of RNA has not always had the desired effect because RNA expansion is also influenced by social, ethnic and political considerations which often lead to unexpected consequences. Therefore, conclusions derived from the analysis of Sri Lanka's RNA growth alone may not be adequate to develop policy prescriptions for the implementation in other LDCs. / Arts, Faculty of / Geography, Department of / Graduate

No description available.

The ubiquitous and pervasive nature of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) fosters societies driven by knowledge rather than traditional capital and labour through the simplified socio-economic participation. No longer are individuals impacted by spatial and environmental conditions when conducting personal, community and even national obligations and duties. However, the effective use of ICT is governed by personal, interpersonal and environmental factors. Nowhere else is this impact more evident than in rural areas. Rural areas are plagued by a number of challenges which affect ICT use. Some of these challenges relate to the scarcity of income, education and infrastructure. A holistic investigation on the challenges experienced by rural areas was necessary. Based on the outcome of the investigation, rural areas were classified as resource-constrained environments. The study then set out to explore concepts that highlight the opportunities offered by ICT in rural areas and those that mitigate challenges posed by these environments on ICT use. The theoretical grounding of the concepts identified in the study firstly set out to understand and explain general ICT use, then extended this ICT use to rural areas. A conceptual model explaining challenges posed by resource constraints inherent in rural areas on ICT use was incepted. This conceptual model was empirically investigated for evaluation and validation purposes resulting in the final model of the study. The final model of the study facilitated the process of understanding and explaining the effective use of ICT in rural areas based on the inherent resource constraints in these environments. By mitigating the factors affecting ICT use in rural areas, the impact of effective ICT use can potentially be extended to resource-constrained environments, including rural areas. / School of Computing / M. Sc. (Computing)

This comparative study, undertaken in the anthropological tradition of long-term field research, highlights the impact of agricultural "betterment" schemes in two rural communities - Chatha in Keiskammahoek district, Ciskei and Shixini in Willowvale district, Transkei. The authors provide a wealth of historical, sociological and ecological detail to describe and assess the implications of the continuation of the present official "betterment" strategy. This is done by comparing conditions in Chatha, where the strategy was implemented in the 1960s, with those in Shixini, where it was being implemented during fieldwork. / Digitised by Rhodes University Library on behalf of the Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER)

The central issue in this study is political socialisation and its implications within a rural setting in South Africa with a particular focus on Calais village in Limpopo Province. The aim of the study is to determine how adult residents of Calais village, are politically socialised; and furthermore to assess the impact of the socialisation process on the residents’ political behaviour within a democratic South Africa. In order to achieve the research purpose, face-to-face interviews were conducted with forty (40) adult residents in Calais village. The study revealed that the respondents were politically socialised by the media, immediate family, peers, extended family, political parties, local municipality, school, traditional leadership, ward committee and religious institutions. The media were the most important agent, while the religious institutions were the least. Furthermore, NGOs and trade unions were not socialisation agents in Calais village. The socialisation process had an impact on the respondents’ political behaviour in terms of political interest, party identification, political beliefs, efficacy, knowledge, awareness and participation. / Political Sciences / M.A. (Politics)